Nepal to ban old and inexperienced from Everest

“We cannot let everyone go on Everest and die,” says minister
Nepal is planning to ban novices, the disabled, the old and the very young from trying to climb Mount Everest, in an effort to improve safety and lessen overcrowding in time for the spring season.
Each season, around 600 mountaineers attempt to reach the 8,848 metre summit of the world’s highest peak. From 2016, permits will only be given to people who can prove they have previously climbed peaks higher than 6,500 metres.
“We cannot let everyone go on Everest and die,” said Kripasur Sherpa, Nepal’s tourism minister. “If they are not physically and mentally fit it will be like a legal suicide.”
He continued: “The disabled or visually impaired people usually need someone to carry them, which is not an adventure. Only those who can go on their own will be given permission.”
A permit to climb Everest costs thousands of dollars, making it a significant source of revenue for Nepal. A series of accidents in recent years has brought reforms such as slightly better conditions for the Nepalese working there, but a lot still needs to be done.
The Guardian
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